ScoresOnDemand
Thorvaldsdottir, Anna - AURA -
Score for sale (North America): https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=259446 Score for sale (UK, Europe and other territories): https://www.musicroom.com/product-detail/product1133201/variant1133201/ Information about the work and materials for hire: http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/57456
Chester Music Limited Part of the Music Sales Group
Revised version for the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet of aura (2011) for percussion trio Duration: c. 6 minutes
Instrumentation Three stations are arranged in a close circle and the performers move between these stations as indicated in the score; another station is positioned in the center. All three bass drums are laid flat and with (real) skin that resonates with the effects of the bow. Performers are indicated with A, B, C & D. The first three slowly rotate between stations I–III, each performing at each station once, so performer A starts at station I and ends at station III. Performer D is at the Center Station throughout the duration of the work. Station I Bass drum 2 almglocken (C and D ) Station II Bass drum Tam-tam Station III Bass drum 2 almglocken (F and G ) Center Station Vibraphone, reachable from stations I & III. There is a vibraphone staff for stations I & III in the score that refers to the same instrument. 4 bells: There are a few instrumental options for the bells but the instruments of choice should provide contrast to the reverberating resonance of the sustained sounds and the vibraphone, and ideally have a ‘warm’ sound quality. Following are some options: a) 4 bells, b) 4 (crystal-)glasses with water filled to various degrees for ideal sounds/pitches, c) 4 almglocken, d) 4 glass bottles of different shapes/sounds, or e) metal objects. The four objects of choice should be of the same sort, that is, not one from each listed above, and should have a moderate ‘ringing’, or a short bell-like resonance. If the bells are pitched, the sonorities could be somewhere around the following pitches, even with quartertone variances:
Performance notes Preferably the audience forms a circle around the performers so that the piece is performed in the center. The space is dark and the performers have small lights attached to them – either to their heads (but this should not be headlights!) or to their chests. The instruments should have small lights attached to them as well – bass drums have a few lights (or a string of lights) around the top of the edges; one light strategically attached to the tam-tam; small lights for the bells (for example, if the bells are crystal glasses then ideally place a waterproof light inside each glass). The performers’ shadows project onto the wall(s). The small lights from the instruments project their shadows. If the audience surrounds the performers (as would be optimal), the performers’ shadows project over the audience in three places. The performers become moving lights.
Notation Never stop resonance of instruments, or dampen unless otherwise indicated. sust. refers to sustained. Dynamics in sustained values = relatively slow/short strokes J = relatively fast/longer strokes crescendo = gradually faster strokes decrescendo = gradually slower strokes When indicated to play with both hands on the same instrument: Dynamics/techniques for left hand are written below the staff – dynamics/techniques for right hand are written above the staff. Otherwise dynamics/techniques are written below the staff. Tools
Drum stick
@ Soft yarn mallet
Wire brush
Large soft bass drum mallet : Bow
+ Hands
Superball
When an indication of mallets such as drum stick, wire brush or hands are written to sustained note values: Move the mallets/hands over the instrument in sustained circular strokes for an airy effect. On tam-tam or bass drum: Quick tremolo back-and-forth strokes over the instrument, varying in location on the instrument rather than statically in one spot, unless otherwise indicated. When sustained tremolo is indicated with larger mallets (such as large soft mallet): Play ordinary tremolo with two mallets. Bass drums and tam-tam are each written on a double line staff. The upper line represents the right hand, the lower line represents the left hand. Examples:
Sustained back and forth tremolo strokes on tam-tam or bass drum, as written, using wire-brush. Tremolo, with one drum stick, inside the bell when indicated for almglocken. Otherwise in sustained back and forth strokes on bass drum, tam-tam or on top of almglocken. Play on side of bass drum. On bass drum: 2 bows on skin – press tip of bows into skin, draw bow hairs together, and move subtly over skin – produces a deep droning sound.
! "
#
#
#
Copyright © 2017 Chester Music Limited
% # #$
# #
#
% & & $ & & & $
# #
& ' !
#
# #
% & & $ & & & $
.
!"#$%#&&' (#)!* +,#,-.)+ #!#-) # ---/ 0 -/ --
#
#
*" 0 2 1 -
# #
#
#
#
*" 2 2 1 # # #
# #
#
#
# #
*" # 2 2 1 0
#
#
0 2 1 2 3 -
/0
# #
,
#
# #
% & & $ & & & $
#
# #
# & #